Apple Watch Series 8, analysis

Eight years have passed since we saw the first new range of products from Tim Cook’s Apple. Eight years and eight generations of Apple Watch that, with the permission of the ‘SE’ and the new ‘Ultra’, have been bringing us an evolution in drops, albeit persistent . And all the way to the Apple Watch Series 8 .

Make no mistake, differentiating the Apple Watch Series 7 from this Series 8 is extremely complicated . Practically impossible visually and almost also in terms of hardware. Although that “almost” is more important than it seems. At Xataka Móvil we have been able to thoroughly test this new watch and here we bring you its analysis.

Apple Watch Series 8 data sheet

Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) – 41mm Midnight Aluminum Case – Midnight Sport Band – One Size

Today on Amazon for €499.00

PVP and MediaMarkt 499,00€PVP in PCComponents €499.00RRP at El Corte Ingles €499.00PVP en Apple 499,00€

Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) – 45mm Silver Aluminum Case – White Sport Band – One Size

PVP in PCComponents €538.99

Today on Amazon for €539.00PVP and MediaMarkt 539,00€RRP at El Corte Inglés €539.00PVP en Apple 539,00€

The same old design can be (and is) a virtue

Gone are those elaborate renders in which, back in the day, an Apple Watch Series 7 with flat edges in the pure iPhone and iPad style was imagined. Not even in this Series 8 and not even in the Apple Watch Ultra have we ended up seeing something like this. We continue to maintain the classic aesthetics on the sides and, despite not having experimented with that hypothetical design with straight edges, we intuit that what we have is much more practical and ergonomic.

The feeling of infinity screen that we felt with the Series 7 is still present in this generation. Not surprisingly, it remains identical, maintaining that increase in proportions on the front that leaves the Series 3 and earlier as archaic. Not so much to the Series 6, which despite their smaller proportion already showed a good extension.

It is also positive that we do not miss a higher brightness . The 1,000 nits that this panel has are more than enough so that, even outdoors, we can see the content well. The fact that it is an LTPO panel with a refresh rate capable of going down to 1 Hz allows us to continue enjoying an ‘Always On Display’ that, again as in the Series 7, is noticeably brighter than in the premiere of this function. with the already distant Series 5.

Something also to be valued at this point is that the usual straps continue to work for us . Of course, as long as they are equivalent to their size. The Apple Watch have been increasing their screen diagonal, but varying the dimensions of the box as little as possible so that this possibility of exchanging straps continues to exist. So yes, no problem using older generation 38, 40 and 41mm and 42, 44 and 45mm straps.

Solvent performance, bittersweet autonomy

Although Apple has been changing the nomenclature of its chips, it has been shown that it has inherited the same processor as the Series 7 and Series 6 . Perhaps with some slight change, but practically imperceptible. Reprehensible? Maybe. A drama? Absolutely. And it is that, as it happened with the design, this is not a section from which to draw defects .

A server bitterly remembers the brand new original Apple Watch landed in Spain in 2015. A new world of possibilities made in Apple truncated by a lousy performance that did not begin to polish until Series 3 and Series 4. Already at this point in the film , there is no reproach in performance to this Apple Watch Series 8.

Obviously, we are talking about a watch. The power here is measured in good general optimization and, more particularly, in offering fast load times to open apps, fluid animations on scroll and no lag in the middle of a workout. And all of this is fulfilled. And what if he does.

Same drawbacks on battery, although with two interesting additions

If we get to talk about battery, then the usual thing happens. The battery is still the Achilles heel of the Apple Watch . We must understand the whole context of not being able to include diabolical batteries in such a small size, that there are functions in the background that run continuously or the appearance of third-party apps. Knowing this, the negative point is less. But it is.

To counteract it, we find two solutions: one hardware and one software. The first is the fast charge that allows us to have the device charged in approximately one hour, having gone from 0% to 100%. It is not that these are devilish times, but they are noticeable. Although this feature is another legacy of the Series 7.

The other solution is the new low power mode . This has finally reached all the models with watchOS 9, although it is in the Series 7 and this Series 8 that the most juice is extracted, reaching an autonomy that, according to Apple, is up to 36 hours. In our case it was about 30, although with very intensive use (training, calls, GPS, etc.). Of course, this has a toll in the form of capping some functions that, depending on the uses, can be essential.

My particular routine of use and my eagerness to record my sleep has made me always charge the watch a few minutes before going to bed. I pick it up 100%, go to bed and wake up 85% nailed every day at 7am. At about 9 at night it already has about 40% left and back to the plug. Therefore, we see that in normal mode it really has autonomy for a day and a half . Taking into account how tedious it is to charge it in the middle of the morning, it becomes a real autonomy of a day.

Temperature sensor, although not as we imagined

This aimed to be one of the star functions of the Apple Watch Series 8 and, despite its existence, its approach is not what we thought. Coming to the point, it will not help you to check if you have a fever at a given time as you might expect. In fact, because it does not have, it does not even have an app as if they have the heart rate, ECG and blood oxygen sensors.

This sensor is only activated at night and is useful for monitoring temperature variations during that period, especially if you have an illness or have consumed alcohol. Although where Apple has focused the most with this sensor is on women and on ovulation control , thus adding these parameters to the menstrual cycle app that was already present in previous generations.

Now, we must say that this temperature sensor is not “instant”. And it is that it does not show data until a few days have passed since its configuration. Yes, it takes the temperature from the beginning, but it needs a longer period to take references and enrich the graphs that are shown in the iPhone Health application.

A novelty that we have not tried nor do we expect anyone to try

Hand in hand with the iPhone 14, this Apple Watch Series 8 launches an accident detector . Like the fall sensor that we already had for a few generations, Apple has managed to recreate different scenarios with which to test motion and GPS sensors in order to feed an algorithm capable of detecting a traffic accident.

After the accident, the watch will ask us if we are okay and if we answer negatively or do not respond directly, a notification will be sent to the emergency services , as well as to the contacts that we have marked as emergency contacts, worth the redundancy .

As we said, we have not tested this functionality and we want to have no news about whether it works well or badly. In any case, we understand that in the end it is also a function aimed at giving a greater sense of security . After all, many will not have heart problems and cannot trust everything to the measurement of the watch, but it helps to feel safe and think that in a case of need, it could be useful and, hopefully, contribute to saving our lives.

Sport + Health is still the best sum of the Apple Watch

One more generation, the Apple Watch is the great ally of athletes. Including the aforementioned temperature sensor, this watch has the main health sensors that we can find today in a smartwatch .

Starting with the classic pulse meter that we can check by entering its app, but it also works in the background. Thus, it is useful to control variations of all kinds and even send alerts, regardless of what we are doing at that moment and whether or not we have entered the application.

Nor did we find anything new in the electrocardiogram function . Once again, it is once again a utility to know the electrical activity of our heart, opening the corresponding app and keeping the finger fixed on the digital crown. In 30 seconds it is capable of showing us a diagnosis of the electro of a derivation, being able to obtain data such as “sinus rhythm” or “atrial fibrillation”.

The SpO2 sensor . We must say of this that, although they are all sensitive, it is the one that shows the most error if we do not position ourselves correctly. The ideal way is to take it with your hand open and resting on a surface, being as still as possible. If not, a miscalculation can be generated that makes it appear that we have a lower blood oxygen level than we actually have.

Finally, we also find the ability to measure the respiratory rate . This is calculated based on other measurements related to our movements and pulsations. It can be consulted from the iPhone Health app, although we are also allowed to perform breathing exercises from the clock, something that is not new in this Series 8 either.

To all this are added more and more predetermined sports activities such as walking, running, walking on a treadmill, lifting weights, swimming, soccer, tennis and many more, including free exercises. In all of them, the watch feeds on data such as heart rate and, taking advantage of the gyroscope and GPS, they can provide data such as the distance traveled, altitude, number of steps and more.

watchOS 9 is a success, although not only for this Series 8

Unlike the iPhone, iPad or Mac where it is more common to find “exclusive” software functions for more recent models, in the case of watchOS this is not the case. Or at least not so often, and the proof is the new watchOS 9 . In this version we find identical functions to those of previous models and especially the Series 7.

There are few changes that occur in this version, but very interesting. The most outstanding one we already discussed previously, which is the new battery saving mode that allows this watch to be squeezed to the maximum until it reaches a duration of around 36 hours. Of course, in return we lose the screen always on, the warnings when starting a workout or a slight reduction in animations.

It is also good to meet with the Medicines app . As its name already indicates, it is the tool with which to keep track of the medications that we must take, whether frequently or not. On the iPhone it is included in the Health app.

Apart from this, we find the classic novelties in the form of four new spheres called Astronomy, Lunar Calendar, Play Time and Metropolitan . The first of them puts the planet as the protagonist, being able to follow the clouds and the sunset in the place where we are. The Lunar Calendar one does exactly what its name promises, while the Play Time one shows the time in the form of 3D animations and the Metropolitan allows you to see an analog clock to which you can stretch (literally) the numbers with the digital crown.

Another function that we find that is perhaps not so much software, as it is hardware, are satellite calls . However, apart from being exclusive to models with LTE, they are not currently available in Spain. Therefore, we can say little in this regard as we have not been able to prove it.

Apple Watch Series 8, the opinion of Xataka Móvil

As has happened to us in other recent analyzes such as that of the iPhone 14 Pro , the purchase recommendation always depends on what you have now . If you come from a Series 7 and even a Series 6, it is difficult for us to say that you are going to notice a relevant change. Yes it will be more noticeable from generations like the Series 5 and earlier. Also if you don’t have any, although perhaps in that circumstance the also new Apple Watch SE may have more room .

The Series 8 is undoubtedly one of the best smartwatches on the market in the consumer range, leaving its older brother (Apple Watch Ultra) in a higher niche, which competes with Garmin and company. Excellent screen, comfortable design, cleverly created software and health and sports capabilities that lack nothing that has not been invented.

Without stopping to influence the little evolution with respect to its predecessor, we must say that it has left us with a very good taste in our mouths . Not in vain, this analysis has not been done with a unit provided by Apple, but by purchase of a server, which may be our definitive proof that this watch can be an excellent bet. Although, I’ll say it again, depending on what smartwatch you have now (if you have one).

8,9 

Design9.5

Screen9

Software8.75

Autonomy8.5

Interface8.75

A favor

• Comfortable and attractive design. If something works, better not touch it.
• Great screen brightness outdoors.
• Great compendium of sports activities in conjunction with health measurements.

Against

• A generation too continuous, with just two exclusive novelties that do not come by software.
• Even knowing how complex it is to improve autonomy, what it offers still seems insufficient to us.
• Its price, being one of the most expensive on the market and 70 euros higher than its previous generation.

Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) – 41mm Midnight Aluminum Case – Midnight Sport Band – One Size

Today on Amazon for €499.00

PVP and MediaMarkt 499,00€PVP in PCComponents €499.00RRP at El Corte Ingles €499.00PVP en Apple 499,00€

Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) – 45mm Silver Aluminum Case – White Sport Band – One Size

PVP in PCComponents €538.99

Today on Amazon for €539.00PVP and MediaMarkt 539,00€RRP at El Corte Inglés €539.00PVP en Apple 539,00€